A MORETON-in-Marsh couple who cheated the state out of nearly £80,000 over a six-year period have been jailed.

Karen Hardiman, 46, and 39-year-old Roger Cross, both of Springfield, Moreton admitted a total of ten charges of benefit fraud and Cross asked for a further five charges to be taken into consideration.

Appearing for sentence at Gloucester Crown Court today Hardiman was jailed for 16 weeks and Cross, who has previous convictions for burglary, was sent to prison for 26 weeks.

Prosecuting barrister Giles Nelson said: “This was sustained benefit fraud over a number of years, Cotswold District Council being the losers.

“The fraud began in 2006 and went on until 2013 and involved housing benefit, council tax, Income Support, Jobseekers’ Allowance and employment and support allowance.

“The total amount claimed fraudulently was £78,774.

“Cross was employed as a gardener for around ten years, working about 16 hours a week, but he did not declare this and claimed Jobseekers’ Allowance.

“Cross and Hardiman, who has a young girl, lived together but she claimed housing benefit as if she was a lone parent.”

Defending barrister Christopher Jarvis said: “There are mental health issues here for both defendants but they both accept responsibility.

“MR Cross did not think that he had to declare working for just 16 hours a week.

“These offences, as so often is the case, started small but then escalated and I am sure my clients had no idea just how much money was involved.

“They are paying some of the money back by a deduction from their benefit.

“Mr Cross has suffered from Post Traumatic Stress syndrome after an incident with a cell-mate while he was serving a prison sentence.”

His Honour Judge Jamie Tabor QC told the couple: “You both deliberately set out to defraud the State over several years of a large amount of money.

“Although you did not live a lavish lifestyle with expensive holidays as a result, you, Mr Cross used some of the money to fund your drug habit.

“Couples who defraud the State – which means the taxpayers – must realise that a deterrent sentence awaits them.”

The judge asked what arrangements had been made to look after Hardiman’s daughter and Mr Jarvis said: “Arrangements have been made for a support worker to pick up the child from school and she will live with her grandparents until the mother is released.”